Memoirs of a
Geisha Movie Review
December 19th 2005
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Memoirs of a
Geisha |
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After watching
Memoirs of a Geisha, I was left with many conflicting opinions
regarding film making choices and the depiction of a strong female
lead. Indeed, the film-maker and the feminist inside of me are
pulling their hair out trying to decide whether or not this was a
good film. Overall it was beautiful film and Sayuri (played by
Chinese actress, Ziyi
Zhang) is strong willed, but it's the small inconsistencies leave me
so frustrated.
First and
foremost I must mention how visually stunning the movie is. What
more could you expect from a movie about Geisha's? The combination
of colors, the subtle camera movements and focuses, and the talented
actresses make this a bit of eye candy that anyone with eyes can
appreciate.
The plot moves
along nicely and it's acted decently, but one begins to wonder just
how necessary the narration is? If, indeed, the film could not
survive without it, why couldn't it have been done with more
conviction and less fluff? Even when the sporadic narration proves
useful for the furthering and understanding of the plot, it's bogged
down in flowery metaphors or overly direct instructions on what we
are suppose to feel at this point in the film.
There seems to
be no middle ground. Taking a step back from my film critic mind, I
began to look at this film politically. The female lead is strong,
has set goals, and an intense passion for life. At a young age she
risks life and limb to find her sister and, at a later part in her
life, works herself thin to achieve her goals. However, it is one
particular goal that enrages my feminist mind.
She is in love
and seems to forget about everything else in her life in order the
man of her desires. She even practically destroys the lives of
several people, but is rewarded in the end with a hug and a kiss.
Sayuri is a likeable character and this disappointed is hardly the
film makers fault, but I still cannot let this issue go without
mention.
Overall the film
is interesting, entertaining, and worth admission price just to see
the visuals on a large screen, but the film is not nearly as close
to perfect as some critics make it out to be. B-
By
Stephanie Wilson
Freelance Writer
Geisha
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Keywords and Misspellings: Johnson Johnsons
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